This cycle is all about closing the loop between learning and proof of skill: better grading, more flexible programmes, and a NOW that coaches instead of just answers.
What's new
π Verified skills: Mentors (reporting managers) now get a clear grading hub with a real picture of who can do what, without piecing it together manually.
π Advanced programme unlocking: Lock or unlock journeys, sections, and modules by group, time, or prerequisites, all inside one programme, no more duplicating programmes.
π― Skills in programmes: Attach skill badges directly to a programme, so completing the programme is the same thing as levelling up.
π€ Agentic NOW: NOW now behaves like a coach, with its own personality and proactive guidance, instead of just answering questions.
π Verified skills
You can now see, at a glance, exactly where every learner stands in their skill development.
Previously, skills were made up of badges, and each badge came from passing specific activities. But finding out which badge someone was working on, how far along they were, and whether their submission had even been looked at, meant piecing it together from different places. Mentors also had no clear place to work from, and notifications were buried under "More" with no context.
Now, the reporting tab gives a structured overview per skill and per badge level, showing exactly who is completed, pending, not completed, or has no access.
Why this helps:
Mentors get a data driven view of who can do what, instead of guessing
Mentors get a single place to see what needs their attention
Skill progress becomes something you can report on, not just self-reported
Try it:
Look for the red dot on More in the top navigation
Click More > Grading > Pending to see submissions waiting for review
Open a submission, click Grade, and choose fail, pass, good, or excellent
Add a short comment and click Submit
Want the full walkthrough?
π Advanced programme unlocking
You can now unlock or lock journeys, sections, and modules inside a single programme, based on group, time, prerequisites, or a mix of these conditions.
Before this, if you needed a small variation for one group, your only option was to duplicate the whole programme and rebuild the automations around it. That meant admins could end up maintaining fifty near-identical programmes for the sake of one or two differences.
Now those differences live inside one programme, so there is far less to set up and far less that can go wrong.
Why this helps:
No duplication, one programme can serve every audience
Less admin work to build, review, and roll out changes
Fewer broken automations and inconsistent learner experiences
Want the full walkthrough?
π― Skills in programmes
You can now attach skills and badges directly to a programme, so finishing the programme is the moment learners level up.
Before, skills lived separately from programmes. Learners could complete every module and never feel the momentum of a skill actually progressing, and admins had no reliable way to reward the milestone in the flow of the work.
Now every module can contribute to a badge level, so progress feels earned right when it happens, inside the programme itself.
Why this helps:
Recognition happens in the flow, not somewhere else
Learners get a clear "I am progressing" signal as they go
Admins get an easier way to roll out skill based motivation
Want the full walkthrough?
π€ Agentic NOW
NOW, our learning assistant, has a personality now, with its own coaching instructions, so it feels like an assistant with a purpose rather than a plain question and answer box.
Before, NOW would answer a question and stop there. It had no personality, no clarifying follow ups, and no way to reach out first, so it felt more like a search box than a coach.
Now, NOW has an explicit coaching identity, uses what it knows about the learner's progress and context, and follows up with clarifying questions and next step guidance to keep the learner moving.
Why this helps:
NOW feels like a coach with a purpose, not a static Q&A tool
Suggestions are tied to the learner's actual progress, not generic
Learners stay engaged instead of hitting a dead end after one answer
Fewer escalations to colleagues or managers for things NOW can guide on
Want the full walkthrough?
π·οΈ Keep an eye on "new" and "beta" labels
You'll also spot "new" and "beta" labels showing up next to features across the platform. Each one is linked to a short video or help article, so you can see exactly what changed and how to use it, right where you find it.
And every so often, a new video or blog lands with tips on how to get more out of your platform, use a feature you hadn't tried yet, or bring the latest developments to your learners.
Try it:
Go to your Control panel > Home
Look out for tooltips and labels marked new or beta
Click through to the linked article or video for the full picture :)




